Best Hockey Romance Books

June 3, 2025

As sports fans anxiously watch the NHL playoffs, some of us have slightly different priorities—like finding our next great romance read!

As a lover of all things romance and data, I decided to research recent best hockey romance book lists to determine which books appeared on the most lists—i.e., received the most recommendations.

In total, I analyzed 35 best hockey romance book lists published in 2023 or later, including lists by Book Riot, BookBub, and People. This translated to 519 rows of data and 192 books nominated (appeared on at least 1 list). Books scored a point for each list they appeared on.

Based on my analysis, 20 books rose to the top and appeared on 7 or more best hockey romance book lists. 

The top two books, The Deal by Elle Kennedy and Icebreaker by Hannah Grace, appeared on 25 and 22 of the 35 lists, respectively.

Given that there are numerous ties on the list, the books are ranked alphabetically by title within each tied group for the sake of simplicity.

Note: This list has been compiled based on research and should not be considered my own personal recommendations or endorsements.

Here is the full list!

1. The Deal by Elle Kennedy (2015) – 25 lists
2. Icebreaker by Hannah Grace (2022) – 22 lists
3. Pucked by Helena Hunting (2015) – 15 lists
4. Him by Elle Kennedy & Sarina Bowen (2015) – 13 lists
5. Mile High by Liz Tomforde (2022) – 13 lists
6. Always Only You by Chloe Liese (2020) – 11 lists
7. Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid (2019) – 11 lists
8. Consider Me by Becka Mack (2022) – 10 lists
9. Offside by Avery Keelan (2019) – 10 lists
10. A Favor for a Favor by Helena Hunting (2020) – 9 lists
11. Iced Out by CE Ricci (2022) – 9 lists
12. Pucking Around by Emily Rath (2023) – 9 lists
13. Unsteady by Peyton Corinne (2023) – 9 lists
14. Behind the Net by Stephanie Archer (2023) – 8 lists
15. Collide by Bal Khabra (2023) – 8 lists
16. Puck Me Secretly by Odette Stone (2018) – 8 lists
17. Taking a Shot by Jaci Burton (2012) – 8 lists
18. The Graham Effect by Elle Kennedy (2023) – 7 lists
19. Right Man, Right Time by Meghan Quinn (2023) – 7 lists
20. The Year We Fell Down by Sarina Bowen (2014) – 7 lists